Safety-match box.



No. 809,506. PATENTBD JAN. 9, 1906.

J. KARPEN.

SAFETY MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED F313; 1. 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAFETY-MATCH BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed February 1, 1904;. Serial No. 191,586.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS KARPEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Match Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to the ordinary commercial safety-match box as commonly retailed.

The danger arising from carrying the ordinary parlor-match is so well appreciated as to hardly re uire mentioning, and therefore it is a conceded fact that but for the inconvenience of being obliged to carry an entire box of safety-matches for the purpose of having a suitable strikingsurface convenient the latter would become still more popular and enter into more general use.

The main object of this invention is therefore to overcome this difficulty in regard to the more general use of the safety-match. This I propose doing; and the invention consists in providing each commercial safetymatch box with a plurality of removable striking surfaces or panels designed to be conveniently carried in the pocket, whereby safety-matches in any desired number maybe carried in the pocket and used at any {lime without the necessity of the original Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a safety-match box, the same being shown partly open to expose the contents and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section-of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the striking-panels. Fig. 4 illustrates how a series of the striking-p anels may be detachably connected. Fig. 5 is an end view of a box illustrating another manner of carrying out my invention. Fig. 6 illustrates another manner of detachably forming the striking surfaces or panels, and Fig. 7 illustrates how the panels shown in Figs. 4 and 6 may be folded for packing.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The match-box, as usual, consists of the box proper, 1, and the slide 2, one or twosides of the box having the usual strikingsurface 3. Within the slide 2, packed, as usual, is the body of matches 4.

It is the present custom to completely fill the slide 2 with matches; but in the present instance the slide is not quite filled, but a space is left, preferably at one side, in which is located a series of striking-panels 5, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) the same being packed fiat and arranged side by side. By such an arrangement it will be obvious that a number of safety-matches may be carried in the pocket, the user merely in addition providing himself with one of the striking-panels. Cigar-dealers may thus be enabled to provide their customers with a few safetymatches and a striking-panel. The panels 5, may in lieu of being independently formed be formed in detachable strips, (see Fig. 4,) the panels being readily separated along tearing-lines 6, formed by perforating, scoring, &c. These panels are of course formed of thin material, as paper or veneer, so as to occupy as little space as possible, such panels having one orboth surfaces coated with the compound usually employed. When formed in series, as suggested, in order to facilitate their separation the end of the blank may be scalloped, as at 7, the latter agreeing with the tearing-lines. When thus formed, the panels may be alternately and reversely folded, (see Fig. 7,) so as to occupy a minimum of space. Of course the packing of these panels within the box would necessarily reduce the space for the matches, and hence the number of the latter, unless the size of the box was slightly increased in width. To obviate this necessity, therefore, I may prefer to apply the strikinganels 5 at one side of the exterior of the liiox (see Fig. 5) and utilize the usual paper binder or label 8 to retain them in position. The same advantages would arise and yet the number of matches accommodated by the usual commercial box not reduced.

Of course the shape of the panels may be varied and the number in each box increased or diminished from those herein shown. Likewise is the location and. arrangement susceptible of change without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

WVhat I claim is- 1. A commercial box of matches, said box comprising the usual slide and cover, ro-

vided with a plurality of removable strikingpanels arranged along one side thereof, and conforming to the size and contour of said side.

2. A commercial box of matches, said box comprising the usual slide and cover, provided With a plurality of removable strikingpanels arranged along one side thereof, said panels being formed of .a continuous folded blank provided With tear lines or divisions, whereby said panels when folded Will conform to the size and contour of the side of said box.

3. Acommercial box of matches, said box comprising the usual slide and cover, provided With a plurality of removable strikingpanels arranged along one side thereof, said panels being formed of a continuous folded blank having scalloped edges and tear lines or divisions intersecting said edges and coincident With the scallops, whereby Witnesses:

JNo. GoTTLIEB, M. E. TANGUEY, 

